Benchmarking

Introduction

There are many different definitions of benchmarking: some focus solely on the process itself, while others also incorporate the potential benefit of the process.  Given universities are places of learning, in their study Benchmarking the University: Learning for Improvement, Garlick and Pryor (2004) were attracted to a definition provided by Jackson and Lund (2000) in their book Benchmarking for Higher Education:

“Benchmarking is first and foremost, a learning process structured so as to enable those engaging in the process to compare their services/ activities/products in order to identify their comparative strengths and weaknesses as a basis for self-improvement and/or self-regulation.”

Why Benchmark?

Benchmarking is a tool for identifying opportunities for self-improvement.  It is an activity the University identified as an area for improvement in its AUQA Performance Portfolio (p40) and that was commented on in the AUQA Report of an Audit of Murdoch University (August 2006) (p23):

Finally, the Audit Panel noted that although benchmarking had been identified as part of the Institutional Quality Improvement process at Murdoch, examples of systematic benchmarking were not much in evidence on the ground, and that indeed the University had identified the need to address benchmarking in these terms: “Murdoch University will strive for more effective, appropriate benchmarking exercises that feed into the existing Quality Management Frameworks.” (PF p40)  The Panel noted that to engage in consistent and informed benchmarking, appropriate systems, structures and resources are needed.  Overall, though, the University’s commitment to quality assurance and quality improvement appeared to AUQA to be a distinctive feature of the institution.

Additionally, AUQA Cycle 2 audits include “Standards, Benchmarking and Outcomes”.  In its press release of 8 November 2006, AUQA noted the following points in relation to this:

• The fitness for purpose approach will explicitly encompass standards, performance and outcomes, guided by consideration of academic risk and its management.

• Greater emphasis on institutional standards and performance outcomes, with attention to benchmarking activities and their effect on standards and outcomes.

• Audits will investigate how academic standards are determined, applied, maintained, monitored and met.

• Greater use of external reference points.

• Evidence of the relation between processes and outcomes will be sought.

Benchmarking at Murdoch

In response to Academic Quality Audit Committee (AQAC) discussions on the need for regular external benchmarking that is appropriate for Murdoch and would help improve the University’s systems and processes, the Quality Audit Co‑ordinator (QAC) prepared a report on Benchmarking. 

The Benchmarking Report and various benchmarking activities at Murdoch are elaborated throughout this section of the Quality website.